Category: Body & Mind

The Best form of Aid

People are going to buy things they don’t need, and now there are ways for people to buy those objects in a good way. Many consumer goods are made in questionable ways and stores around the world are starting to commit to fair trade practices.

Fair trade is arguably the best form of “aid” an individual can give to developing regions. By buying fair trade people support small, local businesses that treat employees well and encourage local economic growth. The best example of this is fair trade coffee growers.

So this Saturday May 13th is World Fair Trade Day. One company has a list of their fair trade stores in Canada.

Go out and support people, not corporations!

Help the Environment and Move to a City

Living in a city is a healthier lifestyle choice than living in SUBurban and rural areas. Some maps and analysis are available, the maps show CO2 emissions for a few American cities. The study was commissioned by Center for Neighborhood Technology.

“Our personal transportation choices can and do impact greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Households in the city have easier access to public transportation systems, drive less often or shorter distances, and walk or bike to their destinations. With continued investment in public transit and in walking- and biking-friendly neighborhoods, cities can further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve local air quality.”

Via Tom Paine.com

Coke Curbed in Class

Wow.

I must admit that I never thought that I would be writing this: Colas will not be sold in American schools and the largest soda manufactures have agreed to this.

“The nation’s largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools, according to a deal announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation.

“This is a bold step forward in the struggle to help 35 million young people lead healthier lives,” the former president said at a news conference. “This one policy can add years and years and years to the lives of a very large number of young people.” “

eTUKTUK

The eTUKTUK project is a small vehicle that is a mobile telecentre that operates in rural Sri Lanka. It is equipped with a battery powered computer, printer, camera, telephone and scanner.

From the India Times:

“It is a project of the Kothmale FM Community Radio Station, located in Mawathura, which is about 25 km southwest of Kandy. Mawathura is primarily a rural region with tea and rice being the dominant plantation crops.

Since 1999, Kothmale Community Radio has been serving as an interface between rural communities in the central hill region of Sri Lanka and new communication technologies.”

Weed Fights Cancer

A new gel tested on skin cancer have shown promising results, and the groovy thing is that it is made from a common garden weed. The gel has made the fastest, and the greatest, change in skin cancer when compared to other topical gels after only two applications.

“Initial trials show just two applications of the PEP005 Topical gel on two consecutive days cleared up 71 per cent of basal cell carcinomas, or BCCs, the most common type of skin cancer.”